Assistant Conference and Banqueting Manager

CORPORATE AND HOSPITALITY EVENTS TEAM

No day is ever the same when you join our Corporate & Hospitality Events Team – we deliver knockout events week-in-week-out for some of the UK’s biggest brands.

One day you may be taking care of delivering on-track action for our corporate clients in our roaring Aston Martins and the next, you may be delivering and exhibition for 3000.

We're a highly motivated, innovative and specialised group of Event managers, coordinators and assistants. We oversee all aspects of an event from catering (delivering over 30,000+ business lunches a year!), AV, security, cleaning to health and safety and budget management. We love bringing any story to life with the creativity of our team of experts and the flexibility of our impressive International Conference & Exhibition Centre with 22 flexible spaces, and the on-site Hilton Garden Inn.

JOB PURPOSE

To deliver effective management & supervision of our catering operation within the corporate events team for the MICE and Track events in accordance with the companies operating standards. Working in collaboration with, the Corporate Duty and Senior Events Manager you will deliver first class events, additionally, you will assist the Conference & Banqueting Manager through developing and implementing site wide policies and procedures, ensuring they maintain their relevance and compliance through regular reviews of current practices and standards.

You will proactively ensure that the clients brief is met, the events runs smoothly and in line with company SPO’s, working within agreed budget and profit margins.

This is a multi-discipline, exciting role, for a candidate looking to utilise and enhance their industry knowledge. You will help grow the events working in a proactive manner to the highest standards of customer service.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supervise the permanent & casual FOH catering team. Continue to develop and progress their experiences and knowledge of events.
• Work closely with the corporate events staffing manager to ensure staffing levels are planned and align with budget and ratio allowances.
• Ensure ordering of IT requirements for events including installation of tills and PDQ machines to correct timelines.
• Planning of equipment for events ensuring any shortages are ordered via preferred suppliers.
• Daily liaison with kitchen team to enable smooth service delivery throughout the events calendar.
• Following SOP’s for the delivery and service of food & beverage operations.
• In conjunction with the staffing manager, supporting with the training & development schedules for FOH staff.
• Be comfortable liaising with clients on events and as part of the pre-event planning process.
• Attend regular team meetings with FOH staff to keep updated on business objectives and projects.
• Act as the food & beverage point of reference for clients on events, ensuring the customer and company remain within brief and on budget.
• Coordinate planning and derig of events and ensure areas are returned to company standards.
• To develop and progress relationships and interaction with all internal departments ensuring events are planned in line with other activities taking place onsite.
• Accurately record and communicate event information to all stakeholders internally and externally.
• Support with the reporting process for all event financials to the Conference & Banqueting manager monthly.
• To ensure the relevant Health & Safety, Food Safety regulations and Licensing laws are adhered to.
• To provide hands on support and delivery as and when required.
• Supervise FOH staff in the operational running of a catering area on any given day.
• Ensure high standards of service are always maintained.
• Ensure that all food is served and presented in accordance with company standards.
• To assist customers with queries in a professional, courteous and friendly manner.
• Ensure any necessary documentation is passed onto the Duty Manager upon closing.

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES

Performance will be monitored against the following:

• Objectives set through the Personal Development Review (PDR) process

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

• Catering & Corporate events Supervisors, Managers, Kitchen Staff
• Venue, Estates and Facilities team
• Finance & IT team.
• External suppliers & Customers

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 3 years’ experience working within a Conference and Banqueting, Hospitality or event environment.
• Minimum level 2 food health & safety qualification.
• Excellent customer and client awareness.
• Confident individual with good communication skills.
• The highest standard of personal presentation.
• Ability to cope under pressure in a busy and face paced environment.
• Full clean UK driving licence.
• Knowledge of and qualifications relating to food handling, COSHH and HACCP is desirable.
• Flexible approach to working hours.
• Good communication skills.
• Ability to take ownership and problem solve, is practical and self-motivated.
• Accepts and meets stretching targets.

SUSTAINABILITY

We don’t just look after our team and our fans. We want to look after our world too. We're committed in our responsibility to reach our zero-carbon goal. So, we've adopted greener methods within our workplace, donated more than 20 tonnes of surplus food, and installed over 2,700 solar panels which generates 13% of our venue’s power - with all other energy from 100% renewable sources. Our dedication has earned us Three Star FIA Environmental Accreditation, but this is just the start.